Musical Echoes festival fills downtown FWB with music, art
4/25/2008
By BRENDA SHOFFNER Florida Freedom Newspapers
FORT WALTON BEACH - Musical Echoes, a national festival celebrating Native American culture, art, and music, began Thursday with a special “RadioLive” concert in Pensacola and continues through Sunday at Fort Walton Landing.
It’s a family-oriented, alcohol-free juried event that highlights the Native American flute. This year’s theme is the dragonfly.
Featured musical artists for festival include Mary Youngblood, Arvel Bird, Autumn’s Child, Jeff Ball, Coyote Oldman and Billy Whitefox as well as Michael Searching Bear and Jan Seiden.
In addition to the numerous musical performances, Nation of Change, Ed Winddancer and Raymond Redfeather will showcase traditional Native American dances.
Many workshops featuring flute-making, flute-playing, pottery, flutes of the world and other subjects are being offered. Charges vary by workshop.
More details and a complete scheduled of workshops can be found at musicalechoes. org. Workshop hours run 8 a.m.-5 p.m. today through Sunday.
There also will be openmic opportunities on a second stage. Sign-up for time will be at the main tent and limited to one time for the weekend.
Interact with Native American craftsmen demonstrating their arts and selling their wares. Take part in the annual Torchlight Remembrance Ceremony at 5:45 p.m. Saturady at the Indianola Mound.
Festival hours are 10 a.m.-9 p.m. today and Saturday with performances beginning at 10:30 a.m. Sunday hours are 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Admission and all nonworkshop events at the Landing are free and open to the public.
Join the Musical Echoes Board for an all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast 7-9 a.m. Saturday at Magnolia Grill, 157 S.E. Brooks St. Cost is a $5 donation per meal payable at the door with all proceeds going toward the Musical Echoes Scholarship Fund.
Fort Walton Landing is on Brooks Street along Santa Rosa Sound in downtown Fort Walton Beach.
For more details, visit the Musical Echoes Web site or http://www.fwbchamber.org or call 244-8191.
Top sponsors for Musical Echoes include the Muscogee Nation of Florida, the Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce, Santa Inez Band of Chumash Indians, Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana, City of Fort Walton Beach, Okaloosa County TDC, Florida Arts Council, First City Bank, Northwest Florida Daily News, Friends of the Museum, Merlin’s Inc. Custom Jewelry, Magnolia Grill, Tourist TV/Murdock Multimedia and Brooks Bridge Bar-B-Q.
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